Can we just calm down a bit on the Toronto Maple Leafs and their puck-moving defenceman Morgan Rielly?

It sounds impressive that Rielly has moved past Bobby Orr for the second-fastest points start by a defenceman, but the sample size is only five games or just over six percent of the season.

The Leafs can boast about having the four top scorers in the NHL, Auston Matthews and Rielly with 12 points each followed by John Tavares and Mitch Marner with 10, however, starting goaltender Frederik Andersen is sitting with an .893 save-percentage (SV%).

Toronto does lead the league in goals with 25 but the 4-1 Leafs have also surrendered a league-high 20 (alongside Ottawa).

Winning high-scoring games in October is not the recipe for success come the spring when it counts.

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Because of long-standing success, the Rockets won’t be getting any sympathy outside of Kelowna for the worst start in team history.

Not only are they 1-8, but the Rockets have allowed a league-high 38 goals while racking up a league-high (along with Portland) 159 penalty minutes in just nine games.

All BC Division teams in the WHL, except Kelowna, have a clear number-one netminder.

The Rockets tandem of James Porter (4.26 GAA and .867 SV% in five games) and Roman Basran (4.29 GAA and .873 SV% in five games) are not even delivering numbers that would warrant them being the back-up.

Kelowna is fortunate to get a mulligan in the 2018-19 season because it is the following year when they need to be competitive since the Rockets host the 2020 Memorial Cup.

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The Prince George Spruce Kings are 5-2 in home games at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena (RMCA) this season, but when they lose in front of their own fans, it’s not because of a lack of chances.

The Spruce Kings won their first five in P.G. before falling 4-3 to the Victoria Grizzlies and 5-2 to the Powell River Kings.

Prince George outshot Victoria 58-22 last week and they outshot Powell River 37-22 last night.

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This is week three of ‘Hartley’s Cat Scan.’

The new podcast predominately features the Prince George Cougars.

My guest this week is Cougars head coach Richard Matvichuk.

Topics include the final year of his contract, the ups-and-downs of the job, his new boss, expectations for the team, his Stanley Cup ring and who has influenced him the most as a coach.

Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT.
He also is the 94.3 radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to hmiller@thegoatrocks.ca.
Follow him on Twitter: @Hartley_Miller